Knotter for binders



woman. 3 Sh'ets-Sheet 1.

' G. W. WHITTINGTON.

KNOTTER FOR BINDERS.

No. 503,634. PatntedAu-g.22,1893.

#7655165 Inventor M40 a .GD Nm B Tw IF R E Patented Aug. 22, 1893.

I I ent r 3 Sheets-8heet 3.

(No Model.)

- G. W. WHITTINGTON.

KNOTTER FOR BINDEBS, No. 503,634. Patented Aug. 22, 1893.

Witnesses Inwenzor- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. WHITTINGTON, OF NEWMARKET, INDIANA.

KNOTTER FOR BINDERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 503,634, dated August 22, 1893.

' Application filed August 22, 1892. Serial Ila 143,730. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. WHITTING- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newmarket, in the county of Montgomery and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Knotter for Twine-Binders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of selfbinder harvesters known as twine binders which have now nearly superseded wire bind-l ers and my new and improved knotter is adapted to be applied to any of the twinebinders now in general use.

My entire knotter, including the supporting block thereof, is made of metal, and is illustrated by Figures 1 to 18 inclusive, of which, Figs.1. to 4. inclusive are views of the complete knotter.

Fig. 1. is a front elevation and, Fig. 2. is the View obtained by looking at the knotter in the direction indicated by the arrow 72, in Fig. 1. Fig. 3. is a rear elevation thereof. Fig. 4. is the view obtained by looking at the knotter in the direction shown by the arrow k in Fig. 3. Figs. 5. to 18. inclusive are detail drawings of the principal parts of my knotter and are drawn on a scale twice as large as the scale of Figs. 1. to i. inclusive, excepting that Figs. 6-13 and 14. are drawn to a scale four times that of Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. Fig. 5. shows the knotter hook, knife, knife arm, plunger and certain other parts hereinafter mentioned.

Fig. 6. shows the actual size of the parts which it represents. Fig. 7. is a side view of the revolving twine holder and shaft, with cog wheel by which it is operated. Fig. '8. is a top view of the revolving twine holder and tension device. Fig. 9. is a view of the under side of cog wheel 6 Figs. 10 and 11. are face view and cross section respectively of the wheelF. Fig. 12. is a front or face View of the knotter hook with bill hook inserted therein. Fig. 13 is a cross section of the twine holder M taken on the line.g g of Fig. 8. Fig. 14 is a cross section of a portion of the twine holder taken parallel to its axis midway of the length of the groove is and at right angles thereto. Fig. 15 is a plan of the upper end of the knotter hook N. Fig. 16 is across section of the upper end of the knotter hook N. and of the lower adjacent part of the supporting block A. Fig. 17 shows the ensection of cogs.

larged opening in the knife arm go through which the pin 8 passes. Fig. 18 shows by its lower edge the profile in a circular line on the lower edge of block A concentric with axis of the shaft 01,, two points of the circle being 6 and c Fig. 16.

The cast block A and the base plate B, secured thereto by bolts, constitute the supporting frame work of the machine.

The block A and base plate B are pierced with all necessary slits and openings to enable the various parts of the machine to properly perform their respective functions.

D. is the driving shaft which operates the knotter and revolves in the direction indicated by the curved arrows shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 10; although I take the precaution to so construct the several parts of my knotter that the said driving shaft may be revolved in the opposite direction without injury to the machine.

In common with a number of other knotters the shaft D is adapted to start automatically and make one complete revolution from time to time as the bundles accumulate of proper size to be bound by the knotter.

The shaft D revolves freely in a circular aperture passing horizontally through the upper part of block A, and in revolving causes the cam-wheel E, wheel F, and delivering armsf and g to revolve with it, the whole being confined between the taps 4;, and rigidly fixed to the driving shaft D. As may be seen from Figs. 10 and 11 there is a large and a small annular groove, 00' and y respectively cut into the face of the wheel F. There is a section-of cogs in the larger annular groove comprised between the radii of and I) standing up from the bottom of the said groove and adapted to gear with a small cog wheel a (see Fig. 5) causing it to make one revo- I lution while engaged with the above described In like manner there are two cogs c and d standing up from the bottom of the smaller annular groove 11 and adapted to engage with a small cog wheel e (see Fig. 7.) and impart to it one third of a revolution at each engagement with said cogs c and d I make such reciprocal adaptations of the small cog wheels a and c and the larger wheel F, to each other, by means of gliding surfaces b and f on the smaller cog wheels tion.

' olution made by the cog wheel a.

and the annular beveled rims 7c and w .of the wheel F, thatafter the -cog wheel e lhasy made one third of a revolution and the cog wheel'a, has made a complete revolution by its engagement with the section of cogs between the radii a. and 11 that the small; cog wheels a and e are then held stationary --while the Wheel F completes its own revolu- Moreover, the two sections ofcogs onj the face of the wheel Fare so adjusted that the one third of a revolution made by the cog wheel 6 is made wholly within the time; of beginning and ending of the complete .rev-

The cam-Wheel E has a cam groove e in its periphery adapted to impart to the knifef arm L one complete vibration about the'piv-i otal axis'tiat each revolution-of the camvolving withthe'shaft 6'.

wheel f and g'are delivering arms whichpitc'hthef tied bundles out from under the knotter uponf the ground, immediately after being tied.

The arm 9 has a curved part 'h 'toenable;

in a reciprocal aperture in the supporting? casting Afito which shaft is rigidlyfixed the cog wheel 6 at its'upp'er end'and the circula'ri twine holder Mat its lower-end. The under? side ofthe-cog wheel 6 is cast in the shape of an equilateral triangle whose faces, f are"; adapted to glide-against the face of the fitIIIllllar rim to of the large wheel F.

M is a circular revolving twine holder re- The twine "holder has a grooved periphery-comprised between} the 'flan'ges 15 and n. The bottom of this: groove is indented in a number of places -as. at g Inthe upper side of the cord holder" Mare three grooves In so arranged that their? outersides prolonged-form anequila'teral triangle whosevertices are at the pointsf' g 'h'% in thecircumference of the flange or rimpfi The bottom of each of thesegroovesis an in-% clined "plane which begins at 'the'upper -sur-? face of theflange or rimmf-(see F-ig. '7 and? from thence inclines upward and intersects theupper surface of the-twine holderMn'ear to the'side of one of the other grooves (see Figs. 8-and13.) These grooves cut entirely? through the 'upp'er flange or rim p andopen with an enlarged opening at the circnm'fer-i ence'of the'rim 19'. -The outer edges of the: grooves at m, are'roun'dedoff'so asto'pre-i vent cuttingthet-w'inewhich is brought up over thetwine holder by the eye 07. of the needle G, andlodged inthe particular-groove whichl is then in position'to receive-the twiriefl The twine isbrought across the-groove in the' direction indicated 'by' the-dotted line-e f -in Fig. sand in the'direction e to f Immediately after each sheaf is tied a new one of thesegrooves is'brought into positionby the sh'aft being turned one third of a revoliiplate Band which serves asa pivot.

tionas-hereinbeafore mentioned and in the direction "indicated by the curved arrow in Fig. 8. The twine when broughtinto the position e f is brought down against the up per surface of the rim n of the twine holder M. Thetension Y is so constructed that its enlarged end comes just below the level of thetwine on the line e f g 'isacurved horn-like projection ofthe tension Y to assist in guiding the twine on the line of 6 f into position. At z is a lug orprojection of the tension Y which fits into a reciprocal circular aperture in.the base The tension Y has its concave'face made to the same radius as the "bottom-of the groove in the 'periphery'o'f the twine holder Maud is adapted to completely fill said reciprocal s groove, there being "just play enough to permit, the twineholder t0 revolve freely.

w'is a steel spring=secured to the supporting casting A and pressing "against theconvex side of the tension'Y.

w is a common screw with head adapted to be 'tightened'with a wrench and securethe spring to firmly in place.

When the twine holder M *revolves'in "the direction indicated by' the-curved "arrow, the twine laid 'upon the line f is pressed by theure'ar'vertical face of'the-groove lc-against theconcave face of the'tens'ion Y'and'carried around in thegro'ov'ed 'p'eripheryof thertwine holder M, the twine being carried around all the more firmly on account of the indentures g.

As-has been stated heretofore, the knotter I hook, knife, knife arm, and plunger'are represented in Figs. 5, 6 and 12, aswell as certain other'pa'rts which are describedbelow.

a, is a-shaft-adapted to revolve in :a reciprocal aperture int'hec'astblockik.

a, is'a'small'cog wheel fixed to-the's'haft a .adap'ted to gear withthe outersection ofcogs its revolution; by means-of the'cog wheel a havmgyon its under side, a-glidingsurface b, adapted to glide 'ag'ainstthe reciprocating .raised surface of the annular rim TN is'the knotter hook,'whichis circular in plan,and rigidly fixed -to'the shaft a" with-the IIO plane-of itscircular cross section atright'an- :gles to the axis of shaft*a"passing through the center of thecircularplan-"of the knotiterhook N. There is an annularflgroove d in the upper face of't'he knotteriho'ok N,'concentric with t'he-axis 'of the sha'ft'a' aud encircled by the annular rim 71. (see' Figs. Z12,

15and 1'6). 1

b is the bill 'hook' fitting inlto =reciprocal :pocket in the *k-notter hook N andf baseof shaft 0%, and --adapted to-oscillate through a small-angle about a pivotal pin-c'whichpivotal pin is immediately' below the bottom of the annular groove d. Theaxeso'ffthe shaft a and the pivotal pin 0 intersect each other at right angles. The bill hook I) is so made as to be V shaped having two arms, a lower one k and an upper one $0 the pin 0 passing through the central portion of the upper arm R The are c c and the arc b b are struck from a common center 77, the center of the pin 0' with radii h 71 and 7L5 h respectively, the former are having the shorter .the other hand holds it in place without spe-' cial friction at its point of contact with its cam. Moreover any slight saving of friction at this point is a great saving of horse power.

By the above special construction of my bill hook it is enabled to oscillate much more easily against the under side of the twine as the pivot of oscillation c is so located that the twine is not raised by the oscillation.

The annular rim 72, is adapted to fit into a reciprocal annular groove e of slight .depth in the under side of the cast block A and to revolve freely therein. It will therefore be seen that in my knotter the bill hook I) is almost wholly concealed and protected by the knotter hook N from straws which frequently clog up and prevent the bill hook from performing its functions properly in knotters where the heel of the bill hook projects beyond the back part of the knotter hook N and is provided with a small roller operated by a cam.

The precise form and side view of the bill hook b are shown of the actual size in Fig. 6.

I impart to the bill hook I) an oscillatory or vibratory motion about the pivotal pin 0 by a reciprocal cam annular like gliding surface it concentric with the axis of the shaft o and on the under side of the cast block A, assisted by a plunger 25, adapted to press against the upper side of the arm 70 of the bill hook I). These operating devices of the bill hook b are so adjusted as to co-operate with each other and with the revolving shaft a so as to open and receive, and close down upon the twine at c and alsoto release the said twine immediately after each knot is tied.

L is the knife arm adapted to oscillate about a pivotal pin 25 and operated by a camwheel E and having at its upper end a roller 4* so as to reduce toa minimum the friction against the sides of. the cam-groove e.

p is the knife pivoted at t and firmly bound to the side of the knife arm L by pin 8 and tap 01 having an enlarged opening through which the pin 8 passes, thus permitting a slight adjustment. (See Fig. 17.)

The inner side of the knife arm L is hollowed out to receive a bent steel spring at passing around and firmly grasping the pin 3, having an adjustable. set screw m pressing against its rear side; passing through a common female screw it and through rear wall of the knife arm L said spring passing above the pivotal pin t and having a bifurcated end with the branches coiling around the pivotal pin 8' on each side of the flattened upper end of plunger 25 and carrying and operatin g said plunger and regulating its pressure on the bill hook 1). Moreover this plun-, ger being regulated by a spring, permits the bill'hook to'instantly and automatically adjust itself to any thick portions or knots in the twine at 0 without undue strain upon the various parts of the machine. The axis of the plunger t is so adjusted as to pass through the position occupied by twine at c thus securing adequate pressure with as lit-' tle waste of power as possible.

to is a thread guide (see Fig. 2.) secured by a screw 2). i

G is the needle with its axis of oscillation at Z under the binder platform 0 and carrying the twine in its eye n theneedle passes through the reciprocal opening at m In Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive the dotted lines a b and 0 (1 show the projected positions respectively of the axes of the shafts a and c.

Having now described my invention, I claim- 1. In the knotter of a twine binder the V shaped bill hook 1) thereof, adapted to fit into and be protected on sides and rear by the walls of a reciprocal central pocket in the knotter hook N;-pivoted by a pivotal pin 0' in the central part of the upper arm k ;-having a lower arm 716 adapted to grasp the twine and having a small portion of the upper surface thereof adjacent to the inner angle of the two arms struck to a radius 715 h concentric with axis of pivotal pin 0'; said are adapted to receive the twine placed thereon by the needle G;having the rear portion of the said upper arm struck to an are 19 b with radius 72 h concentric with axis of pivotal pin c; the upper surface of the upper arm 10 being adapted to receive alternate downward impulses bythe plunger 25' and a cam surface 7L on the under side of the supporting casting A all substantially as set forth. I

2. In the knotter of a twine binder, the mechanical devices for imparting to the bill hook I) an oscillatory motion through a small angle about its pivotal axis 0; consisting of a plunger t adapted to press downward upon the outer end of the upper arm 70? of the bill hook I), operated by the knife arm L through the medium of an adjustable and regulating spring d concealed and protected by a reciprocal opening in the knife'arm L; a cam annular like gliding surface concentric with the axis of shaft a about which axis the bill hook I) is adapted to revolve, said cam glidingsurface being adapted to cooperate with plunger t as the bill hook b revolves about the axis of shaft a so as to impart to it one complete oscillation for each revolution about the axis of said shaft or: the compound motion thus produced being so adjusted as to cause the lower arm of the bill hook I) to raise, pass over, and press down upon and firmly grasp the twine at e and also to releasethe said twine immediately after .each knot has been tied.

3. In the knotter of a twine binder the devices for protecting the bill hook I) thereof while at the same time permitting and cooperating with said bill hook in pro erly p erforming its functions; said protecting devices consisting are specially devised knotter hook N having an annular raised rim h on the up per side thereof concentric with the axis of the shaft a and revolving with said shaft (1.: said annular rim 7L fitting into, and revolving 'in a reciprocal annular groove in the under side of the supporting block A and consisting further of a central reciprocal pocket in said knotter hookoN, adapted to receive theb'ill hook I) and to protect the same at the sides and rear, all substantially as set forth.

4. In the knotter of a twine binder the revolving circular twine holder M thereof, hav- 7 ing three grooves in the upper side arranged in the form of an equilateral triangle about its shaft 6', the bottoms of said grooves being inclined planes beginning at the upper face of the twine holder M and sloping to the lower edge of a peripheral groove in the circumference of the said twineholder M, and adapted to trail the twine around in the peripheral groove in the circumference of the said twine holder M and against the reciprocal concave face of, the tension device Y'pressed upon by spring to, all substantially as set forth.

5. In the knotter of a twine hinderthe knife arm L thereof consisting of two branches at right angles to each other, with exposed arm actuated by a cam. wheel E on the driving shaft D, causing the other arm thereof, concealed in a reciprocal opening in the sup ort ing cast block A, to oscillate about a pivotal pin t; said knife arm being adapted .to actuate a knife p to cut the twine immediately after the tying of the knot by the other parts of the knotter, and said knife arm also actuating a plunger 15, through the medium of a governing steel spring d, to press down upon the upper arm 10 of the bill hook I) in cooporation with other mechanical devicesto cause said bill hook I) to oscillate about its pivotal pin 0' in performing its functions, all substantially as set forth.

6. In a twine binder the knotter thereof consisting of the combination ;-the cast block -A-, supporting the various working partsof the maehine;'-the base plate B bolted to the under side of the cast block- A;''the driving shaft D revolving in a horizontal aperture in the upper part'of the block A;-'-the principal wheel F rigidly fixed to, and revolving with shaft D, having its face next to supporting block A reciprocally arranged, by an outer and inner section of cogs and gliding surfaces, to operate both a knotter-hook N, and'a revolving twine holder M through the medium of shafts a and e and "cog wheel's a and e reciprocally adapted to be actuated by the said principal wheel F the knife arm Lthereof consisting of two branches at right angles to each other with exposed arm L thereof actu- -ated by a cam-wheel E on the driving shaft D, causing the other arm thereof, concealed in a reciprocal opening in the supporting cast block A, to oscillate about a'pivota'l pint, said knife arm actuating a knife 19 and plunger 25 in the manner and for purposes set forth ;-a revolving circular twine holder M, having three grooves k in the upper face thereof arranged in the manner and for purposes as 'set forth; the bill hook 1) thereof adapt-ed to fit into and be protected on its sides and rear by a reciprocal pocket in the knotter hook N while performing its function's';"-'and the knotter hook N thereof having a reciprocal central protecting pocket adapted to protect the bill hook 12 therein placed, while being also adapted to permit it. the necessary freedom in performing its functions properly, all snbstantially as set forth. I V

GEORGE W. WHITTINGTON.

Witnesses:

CHARLES 0. RICE, J. E. VAN CAMP. 

